Chapter 19

Ariadne, with her black hair neatly tied up and dressed in a deep-colored dress, gathered the attention of everyone in the grand cathedral with her commanding voice, which did not match her youthful appearance and modest attire.

"The Gospel of Manuel states in Chapter 19, Verse 17, that the Lord Yeshak said, 'Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Holy Spirit, and the Son.' Furthermore, the Gospel of Alexander clearly testifies in Chapter 7, Verse 21, 'There are three who bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one.' Do you claim to know the truth better than the two of the six apostles of the contemporary era, Saint Manuel and Saint Alexander, who revered the Lord Yeshak?"

The atmosphere in the grand cathedral became chaotic as the crowd murmured. However, despite Ariadne's challenge, the apostle of Asereto answered calmly with a gentle smile.

"I am merely a villager from a remote island village, seeking the word of the Holy Spirit. However, the Holy Spirit was not always the Father; there was a time when He was alone and not the Father. The eternal Holy Spirit created His Son from nothing. Logically, the Son is a creation."

He continued calmly.

"The great Holy Spirit said in the Book of Exodus, Chapter 3, Verse 14, 'I am the Creator,' and also, 'I am the only God.' The Lord Yeshak, being the Son of the Holy Spirit and a great prophet, cannot surpass the Holy Spirit. How can the Son, who is divine, be on the same level as the Holy Spirit? Do we not worship the one and almighty Holy Spirit?"

It was a soft but extremely dangerous statement. Ariadne's attack on the apostle of Asereto was fierce. Her logical consistency was unshaken, and the verses from the Holy Scriptures she cited as evidence were precise and well-timed.

"The Gospel of Paul states in Chapter 3, Verse 16, that the Lord Yeshak 'appeared as the flesh of the Father, the Holy Spirit,' revealing that the Lord Yeshak is the persona of the Holy Spirit and His Son! Are you above Saint Paul, one of the six apostles? Are you denying the Nicene Creed?"

- 'Denying the Nicene Creed is impossible.'

- 'Are you denying that the Lord Yeshak is the Son of God?'

- 'It sounds similar to what the Moors across the sea claim.'

- 'Heretic...?'

- 'Should we just let it go?'

The commotion in the audience grew worse. If commoners, who were only gathered in the outer square and not allowed inside the grand cathedral, had been mixed with the nobles, someone would have already thrown filth at the altar, and there would have been fistfights among the believers in the pews.

The secretary of Leo III hurriedly ran up to the balcony at the top right and opened the curtain, bowing.

"Ah, ah, Your Majesty. The situation downstairs is not good. Should we send people to remove them?"

Leo III, a tall and bony man in his late sixties, had bright blue eyes under thick, bushy white eyebrows.

"Who are you talking about removing?"

"Excuse me? Of course, the girl who intruded."

Leo III smiled.

"If the apostle of Asereto had been removed, why would we remove the girl who rolled in like a gift? She is quite a remarkable young lady."

Prince Alfonso, who had been staring down from the balcony with a mesmerized expression, answered.

"Ariadne."

"What?"

Queen Marguerite, who rarely spoke to her husband, answered for her son.

"She is the second daughter of Cardinal de Mare."

Prince Alfonso proudly added.

"She is my friend."

The king smiled at his flawless son.

"You have an interesting friend."

Seeing the king's pleasure, the secretary stomped his feet in frustration.

"Your Majesty, the atmosphere downstairs is not good. We need to do something. What should we do?"

* * *

It wasn't just Leo III's secretary who was stomping his feet.

"How can she be out there! This is not a place for her!"

Cardinal de Mare was beside himself with rage. The issue with the apostle of Asereto and his followers was not a simple one. Pope Ludovico had convened the Council of Trevero to subdue the apostle of Asereto, but the influence of the apostle's followers was significant.

Pope Ludovico's decision to prevent Cardinal de Mare from attending the Council of Trevero was, in principle, a highly humiliating act for a cardinal, but Cardinal de Mare secretly welcomed it. He could not predict which faction would win at the Council of Trevero, and it was a great burden to take sides. Thanks to the pope's decision, he could maintain neutrality with a legitimate reason.

He had been carefully maintaining this neutrality, but now his fifteen-year-old illegitimate daughter, who had only studied theology for two months, was debating with the apostle of Asereto in front of everyone!

As Cardinal de Mare, who was biting his nails, was about to call the deacons to remove Ariadne and apologize to the apostle of Asereto for the disturbance, the main door of the cathedral burst open with a loud noise.

- Bang!

The men who burst through the massive wooden door were wearing small white triangular hats.

Someone shouted upon seeing the distinctive white hats and the black cross on the sashes over the deacons' robes.

"They are the heresy judges!"

The heresy judges, directly under the Holy See, were storming into the Cathedral of San Ercolino. About fifty robust priests, dressed in the uniform of the Holy See, marched in with precision.

Cardinal de Mare, seeing priests from other dioceses entering his domain, the Cathedral of San Ercolino, in a group, was greatly alarmed and rushed forward.

"What is going on here!"

"Cardinal de Mare, we have come on the orders of Pope Ludovico to deal with the heretic!"

The lead heresy judge, with a haughty look, surveyed the surroundings and barked.

"Where is the heretic deacon Alejandro!"

He was referring to the apostle of Asereto, who was still delivering his sermon from the central altar, despite the ongoing debate with Ariadne.

"Seize him!"

- Wow!

At the lead heresy judge's command, his subordinates rushed to the central altar, forced the apostle of Asereto to his knees, and bound his hands behind his back.

The lead heresy judge ascended to the top of the central altar, while the apostle of Asereto was dragged down to the bottom, their positions reversed.

The lead heresy judge began to read the scroll he had brought.

"Listen, heretic! The Council of Trevero, held in the year 1122 of the continental calendar, has, through fair debate, reached the most thoughtful theological conclusion."

The apostle of Asereto, sensing his fate, began to struggle. The robust priests holding him down gritted their teeth to suppress his resistance.

"The Asereto school, which denies the unity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, is declared a heresy for misinterpreting the Holy Scriptures! The ringleader, the heretic deacon Alejandro, is guilty of misleading and deceiving the public, and is hereby stripped of his priesthood and excommunicated from this place!"

- 'Excommunication...!'

- 'Oh my...!'

Excommunication was a social death sentence. Now, no follower of the Holy Spirit could associate with the apostle of Asereto, or the excommunicated Alejandro, or have any social relationship with him.

Anyone who sold him food or provided him with lodging would be considered a sinner in the eyes of the Holy Spirit. He was no longer allowed to live as a human being, except to wander in the mountains and valleys.

"Furthermore!"

The lead heresy judge's tone was fierce.

"Anyone who follows the Asereto school and does not change their opinion will be excommunicated along with the ringleader, and anyone who helps the excommunicated Alejandro, spiritually or materially, will be punished with a penalty equivalent to excommunication! This is the decree of Pope Ludovico!"

The lead heresy judge rolled up the parchment, signed in red ink by Pope Ludovico, and turned to Cardinal de Mare.

"Cardinal de Mare, you will be held responsible for allowing the excommunicated Alejandro to preach boldly in your cathedral."

Cardinal de Mare's emerald green eyes were filled with panic.

'I've been set up!'

The apostle of Asereto's visit to San Carlo was orchestrated by Pope Ludovico. The Holy See had even kindly specified the date of the apostle's visit to San Carlo. Cardinal de Mare had accepted this, thinking it was just a ploy to prevent him from attending the Council of Trevero, but Pope Ludovico had clearly planned everything, including the excommunication of the apostle of Asereto and implicating the cardinal as an accomplice.

"Judge, there seems to be a misunderstanding. The apostle of Asereto was not invited by me..."

Knowing his plea would be rejected, Cardinal de Mare tried to explain to the heresy judge in a humble tone, his eyes darting around.

What could work? Bribes? Pleas? The judge was likely a direct subordinate of the pope, sent on his orders, so nothing would work. Could I be excommunicated too?

As the cardinal's mind raced, a small warmth entered his left hand, and Ariadne firmly grasped it.

"Judge, please listen to me for a moment."

The heresy judge sneered.

"Who do you think you are, young lady, to interrupt the conversation of the elders who have the authority to interpret the word of the Lord?"

All eyes in the grand cathedral turned to them.